Eight Things in Your Home That Should Be Replaced More Often
While storing many household items, such as detergents, cleaners and cosmetics, past their expiration date is not necessarily as risky as eating expired products, it can reduce their effectiveness and potentially cause more problems than it solves. For the sake of keeping your home clean and safe, here are the foods you should check and possibly throw away.
Washing powder and bleach
Unless you wash multiple loads a week, you probably don’t need to buy detergent in bulk. By itself, it does not deteriorate, but over time it loses its cleansing ability . Liquid detergent can be stored unopened for up to 18 months at normal temperatures, but must be used within six years of the seal being broken. Laundry bags should also be used within six months and stored in a dry, airtight container. Powder detergents last a long time unless they are exposed to moisture, which can cause soap deposits to form on clothes.
Bleach also begins to break down after about a year, reducing its disinfecting and sanitizing ability. Pay attention to the production date indicated on the bottle.
Cleaners
Like detergents, the chemicals in household cleaning products break down over time, making them less effective at keeping your home clean and sanitized. If you deep clean frequently and go through products after a year or two, you’ll likely get your money’s worth. However, if you find hidden bottles that haven’t been touched recently, check them : anything lumpy, discolored, smelly, or not foaming is likely past its expiration date.
Detergents
Again, cleaning products don’t have an expiration date, but you’ll likely store them past their recommended use . Your toilet brush should be thrown away and replaced every few months, otherwise bacteria can accumulate in the bristles and on the handle. Kitchen sponges should be thrown out every few weeks (or replaced with an alternative that can be washed and disinfected, such as a washcloth or silicone scrubber).
sunscreen
If there was ever a product that you wanted to maximize its effectiveness, it’s sunscreen. The FDA requires sunscreen manufacturers to make formulas that last three years, so if you go through bottles quickly, you probably don’t need to worry too much about expiration dates. But it is recommended to check the expiration date of bottles that you have not used for a long time (for example, at the beginning of summer). You should also check the date when purchasing, and if there is no expiration date listed, write it on the container.
Cosmetics and medicines
Your bathroom is full of expired items such as cosmetics, toothpaste and pharmaceuticals. Storing these items beyond their expiration date may reduce their effectiveness (such as toothpaste, which has an expiration date of about two years from the date of manufacture) or increase the risk that the product will degrade or be exposed to bacteria and fungi . Although cosmetics are not regulated, most have a recommended expiration date on their labels. In particular, mascara should be thrown out every few months.
Toothbrushes
According to the American Dental Association, your toothbrush or electric toothbrush head should be replaced about every three months—more often if you are sick or for children who tend to chew the bristles. An old and worn toothbrush will not clean your teeth as thoroughly, leaving behind plaque and allowing germs to accumulate around your teeth.
Filters
There are nearly a dozen appliances in your home—furnace, dryer, HVAC, range hood, etc.—that require filters, and all of them need to be replaced regularly to keep everything running at peak efficiency (which saves air indoors, water and clothes are clean). Depending on the type , filters should be replaced every one to six months .
Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers
Fire safety is not a “set it and forget it” situation. Smoke detectors should be checked every few months and replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture. Carbon monoxide detectors should be replaced every five to seven years. Disposable fire extinguishers have a shelf life of 10 to 12 years, while rechargeable fire extinguishers should be checked and refilled every six years.